Journal of Social Intervention: Theory and Practice Latest Articleshttps://www.journalsi.org/articles/Latest articles published by Journal of Social Intervention: Theory and Practiceen-usWed, 19 Dec 2018 07:43:30 -0000Capabilitarianisme: Capability Approach voor gevorderdenhttps://www.journalsi.org/article/None<p>Ingrid Robeyns. <strong>Wellbeing, freedom and social justice: The capability approach re-examined</strong>. Cambridge: Open Book Publishers, 2017, €25,99 (print version); eBook is available open access, 268 p., ISBN 9781783744213</p> Published on 2018-12-13 00:00:00https://www.journalsi.org/article/NoneLeren van Afrika: ontwikkeling van een peer supportprogramma voor en door thuisloze jongerenhttps://www.journalsi.org/article/None<p>“Peer support” is wederkerige steun tussen mensen die in vergelijkbare omstandigheden verkeren. In Oost- en Zuidelijk Afrika en India wordt peer support op grote schaal toegepast door mensen in gemarginaliseerde sociaaleconomische posities. In de internationale literatuur worden programma’s met deze vorm van peer support aangeduid als “Self-Help Group Programs”. Kenmerkend is dat deelnemers in groepen werken aan de versterking van hun sociale en economische veerkracht.</p><p>Dit artikel beschrijft de route die is afgelegd om een Self-Help Group Program toepasbaar te maken voor thuisloze jongeren in een Nederlandse context. De achtereenvolgende stappen zijn: literatuuronderzoek; vorming van een expertise-team; een studiereis naar Rwanda met thuisloze jongeren; werk- en oefensessies om de eerste implementatie voor te bereiden en uitwisseling met vergelijkbare initiatieven in Rotterdam en Glasgow.</p><p>Het ontwikkelingstraject is te karakteriseren als het verzamelen en integreren van kennis uit drie bronnen, namelijk ervaringskennis, professionele praktijk en wetenschap, gedragen door een gezamenlijk inspanning van thuisloze jongeren, praktijkwerkers, onderzoekers en bestuurders.</p> Published on 2018-12-13 00:00:00https://www.journalsi.org/article/NoneEthisch adviescommissies en praktijkgericht onderzoek: een vruchtbaar huwelijk! Waarom het een goede zaak is om opvattingen over integer onderzoek met elkaar te delenhttps://www.journalsi.org/article/None<p>Gideon de Jong (2018) waarschuwt, in zijn artikel “Ethische Adviescommissie en praktijkgericht onderzoek, een ongelukkig huwelijk”, het Nederlandse hbo voor de gevaren van ethische commissies. Op basis van enkele anekdotische ervaringen in zijn Australische onderzoekspraktijk, schetst hij een somber scenario: bureaucratische commissies, samengesteld uit mensen die niet begrijpen waar het in onderzoek echt om gaat, dringen steeds verder binnen in de onderzoekspraktijk. Daarmee maken zij creatieve onderzoekers het werken onmogelijk. De ethische commissie “zal […] na verloop van tijd steeds verder zijn klauwen in deze praktijk slaan en alle aanpalende praktijken binnen zijn invloedssfeer proberen te trekken” (De Jong, 2018, p. 3).</p><p>De Jongs observatie dat er binnen het hbo meer ethische commissies worden ingesteld, is correct. De ethische adviescommissies van de HAN (Van der Sande, 2018) en Fontys functioneren al een aantal jaren en binnen de Hanzehogeschool is in september 2018 een dergelijke commissie gestart. Andere hogescholen hebben plannen in deze richting. Moeten we ons binnen het Nederlandse hoger onderwijs nu opmaken voor het door De Jong geschetste doemscenario? Of kunnen deze commissies een steun in de rug zijn voor onderzoekers die integer onderzoek willen doen? <em></em></p> Published on 2018-12-13 00:00:00https://www.journalsi.org/article/NoneSocial Work and the City. Urban Themes in 21st-Century Social Workhttps://www.journalsi.org/article/None<p class="Default">Charlotte Williams (Ed.). <strong>Social Work and the City. Urban Themes in 21st-Century Social Work.</strong> London: Palgrave MacMillan, 2016, €87,99, 299 p. ISBN 9781137516220</p> Published on 2018-12-13 00:00:00https://www.journalsi.org/article/NoneEigen regie en waardigheid in de zorg: een kwestie van persoonsgerichte praktijkvoeringhttps://www.journalsi.org/article/10.18352/jsi.567<p class="Default"><strong>Eigen regie en waardigheid in de zorg: een kwestie van persoonsgerichte praktijkvoering</strong></p><p class="Default">De gezondheidszorg is aan sterke veranderingen onderhevig. Pregnant is de ontwikkeling naar ondersteuning van eigen regievoering van cliënten. In deze bijdrage plaatsen we twee kanttekeningen bij de invulling van dit begrip. Vanuit een neoliberaal marktdenken ligt de focus op de controleerbaarheid van leven en gezondheid. Dit doet echter geen recht aan de kwetsbaarheid die mensen ook ervaren en hun behoefte aan respect, erkenning en als mens geacht te worden. Vanuit een bureaucratisch organisatie denken staat de beheersbaarheid van organisaties in termen van doelen en kosten centraal. Dit leidt tot fragmentatie van zorg en dreigt professionals tot uitvoerders van regels en procedures te maken. Persoonsgerichte praktijkvoering kan deze knelpunten ondervangen. Het is het voortdurend samen vormgeven van relaties en structuren binnen zorg-, leer- en werkomgevingen zodanig dat eigen regie en waardigheid van alle betrokkenen worden gerealiseerd. Eigen regie is dus geen individuele aangelegenheid, maar een kwestie van “grensoverschrijdend samenwerken” en verbinden vanuit verschillen in waarden, kennis en betekenisgeving. Persoonsgerichte praktijkvoering biedt daarbij een alternatief model voor het expertmodel, dat is aangeduid als het samenwerkingsmodel.</p><p class="Default"> </p><p><strong>Autonomy and dignity in healthcare: a matter of person-centred practice</strong><br /> Healthcare in the Netherlands is subject to major changes. Due to rising living standards and new technologies in healthcare, people are living longer and this is related to an increase in multimorbidity. The demand for and cost of healthcare are rising as a result. In the process of trying to transform healthcare and reduce costs, the government is trying to increase the amount of self-care and self-sufficiency. Significant herein, is the development towards support for clients' self-management. This is not a new concept: patient empowerment and patient autonomy have been on the agenda since the 1970s. In order to explain the difficulties that healthcare is encountering in supporting patient autonomy, we use the theory of the American sociologist Eliot Freidson (2001), who makes a distinction between the logic of the market (consumerism), the logic of the organization (managerialism) and the logic of the profession (professionalism). Based on his theory, we would expect that although consumers do now have a stronger voice in their own healthcare, neither patients nor professionals experience autonomy in current healthcare practices. First of all, from a neo-liberal market perspective, the focus of self-management is on the controllability of life and health. However, this does not take account of the vulnerability that people experience and their need for respect, recognition and treatment as human beings. Consequently, patients often do not feel they are seen as people in their own right and do not feel supported in dealing with difficult life questions and issues. Secondly, from an organizational and bureaucratic perspective, the controllability of organizations in terms of goals and costs is central. This leads to the fragmentation of care, leaving patients to manage not only themselves but also their care. Organizational bureaucracy also conflicts with professional autonomy, turning professionals into the enforcers of rules and procedures. <strong></strong></p><p>Person-centred practice can provide a solution to help overcome these issues and is the subject of increasing attention worldwide. It is part of a humanization movement in healthcare which sees the personal and interpersonal dimensions as essential to good care (McCormack &amp; McCance, 2010; Hummelvoll, Karlsson &amp; Borg, 2015; Jacobs, 2015). Our vision of person-centred practice is inspired by the ethics of care, relational psychology and relational constructionism. These currents are critical of individualism and the focus is on control and manageability in contemporary healthcare. Person-centred care is defined as the continuous co-creation of relationships and structures within care, learning and work environments in such a way that the patient’s own direction and dignity are realized. Self-management is therefore not an individual matter, but a question of “working together across the boundaries” of differences in values, knowledge and meanings. Person-centred practice provides an alternative model for the expert model, which is referred to as the cooperation model. In this model, collaboration involves not only professionals from various disciplines and sectors, but also clients and their stakeholders in healthcare. The expertise required for this by participants is known as dialogical or relational expertise. The intention of cross-border cooperation is to contribute to sustainable change by developing relationships and structures that promote autonomy and dignity.</p><p>The current transformation of healthcare to provide more support for self-management will benefit from a critical reflection on market forces, and in particular its implicit assumptions of the controllability of individual lives and organizations. People are vulnerable and have a deep-seated need for respect and recognition, even if they are no longer able to manage and organize their own lives. Professionals and organizations benefit from working on the basis of core values to support their own self-management. Self-management is therefore not an individual matter, but a matter of “working together across boundaries” and connecting amidst differences in values, knowledge and meanings. Person-centred practice provides important insights in how to approach this.</p> Published on 2018-10-17 00:00:00https://www.journalsi.org/article/10.18352/jsi.567Achieving happiness at care farms in the Netherlandshttps://www.journalsi.org/article/10.18352/jsi.545<p><strong>Achieving happiness at care farms in the Netherlands</strong></p><p>Care farms in the Netherlands, also known as social farms, are thought of as valuable day services centres, and sometimes as residential care providers, for highly diverse and mixed groups. This article is about the features of happiness at care farms. The main question is: what is the potential for achieving happiness at care farms in the Netherlands? Psychologist Ap Dijksterhuis’ theory on the components of happiness serves as a conceptual framework. Based on a literature study examining the qualities and values of care farms, the features of happy living at care farms in the Netherlands are described and illustrated with examples from three present-day practices. The care farmers were interviewed about their ideas and methods in relation to contributing to a good and happy life for care farm participants. This ideal life is mainly accomplished by means of: a stimulating flow of experiences in (farm-based) activities, emphasizing a connection with others and with nature; and providing farm-based products and services to the surrounding community.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Werken aan geluk op zorgboerderijen in Nederland </strong></p><p>Zorgboerderijen in Nederland worden gewaardeerd als dagbesteding, soms als woon- of logeervorm, voor zeer diverse en gemengde doelgroepen. Dit artikel gaat over de bijzondere, waardevolle aspecten van de zorgboerderij. De centrale vraagstelling luidt: Welk potentieel heeft de zorgboerderij in Nederland om bij te dragen aan geluk? De theorie over bouwstenen van geluk van psycholoog Ap Dijksterhuis dient als conceptueel raamwerk. Aan de hand van literatuurstudie naar de kwaliteiten en waarden van de moderne zorgboerderij, geïllustreerd met kwalitatieve casestudies van drie actuele geselecteerde praktijken worden de kenmerken beschreven van het goede en gelukkige leven op zorgboerderijen in Nederland. De zorgboeren zijn geïnterviewd over hun ideeën en methoden om bij te dragen aan een goed en gelukkig leven voor hun deelnemers. Dit krijgt hoofdzakelijk vorm door te streven naar flowervaringen in het (boerderij)werk, door verbonden te zijn met elkaar en de natuur en door verbonden te zijn met de omliggende samenleving via de producten en diensten van het boerderijwerk.</p> Published on 2018-10-17 00:00:00https://www.journalsi.org/article/10.18352/jsi.545Wooncomplexen voor ouderen: Sociale kwaliteit ontstaat niet vanzelf.https://www.journalsi.org/article/10.18352/jsi.561<p><strong>Wooncomplexen voor ouderen: sociale kwaliteit ontstaat niet vanzelf</strong></p><p>De Nederlandse overheid stimuleert dat ouderen zo lang mogelijk zelfstandig blijven wonen. De meeste ouderen willen dit ook, mits aan bepaalde voorwaarden is voldaan. Ze hebben vooral behoefte aan een levendige woonomgeving waarin ze gemakkelijk kunnen participeren en contacten kunnen leggen. Dit sociale aspect is voor veel mensen een belangrijke reden om naar een wooncomplex voor ouderen te verhuizen. Corporaties concentreren zich echter op fysieke en materiële aspecten van het wonen; versterking van de sociale kwaliteit wordt aan de bewoners zelf overgelaten.</p><p>Om inzicht te krijgen in de mogelijkheden van ouderen om de sociale kwaliteit van hun wooncomplex te vergroten, is het experiment “Vitale woongemeenschappen” uitgevoerd in tien wooncomplexen voor ouderen, verspreid over Nederland. Het experiment is geëvalueerd middels een (kwantitatieve) nul- en nameting en een kwalitatief onderzoek. Het onderzoek maakt duidelijk dat sociale kwaliteit in een wooncomplex niet vanzelf ontstaat en dat er grenzen zijn aan het zelforganiserende vermogen van bewoners. Hoewel veel bewoners behoefte hebben aan activiteiten en sociale contacten in hun complex, voelen de meesten zich niet in staat om zelf activiteiten te organiseren of bewoners te activeren. Beroepskrachten zijn noodzakelijk om het vitaliseringsproces op gang te brengen en continuïteit te garanderen.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong>Residential complexes for seniors: social quality does not occur spontaneously</strong></p><p><em>Background</em></p><p>The Dutch government encourages older people to live independently for as long as possible. Most seniors also prefer to remain self-reliant, provided that certain conditions are met. In particular, they need a lively environment in which they can easily participate in social activities and make social contact. This social aspect is an important incentive for people to move to housing complexes for seniors. Contact with fellow residents and social participation within the housing complex are important determinants for their well-being. However, housing corporations concentrate on the physical and material aspects of housing, while welfare projects and activity guidance are being phased out.</p><p> </p><p><em>Problem statement</em></p><p>Residents of housing complexes for seniors are assumed to be capable of developing and maintaining social relations, and social activities are helpful in this regard. Various studies show, however, that opportunities for organizing activities are not evenly distributed among groups of citizens. The self-organizing capacity of residents in complexes with a low socio-economic status remains underdeveloped. Even among individuals with good organizational abilities, these skills decrease as they age or require more care. To gain an insight into the opportunities for older people themselves to increase the social quality of their residential complexes, the “Vital Living Communities” experiment was carried out in ten housing complexes for seniors, spread across the Netherlands. In the experiment, residents and professionals from housing corporations worked together to strengthen their communities using a particular method, named Studio BRUIS. The goal of this intervention was to improve the quality of social interaction in the residential complexes concerned. The research aimed to provide insight into the contribution of older people to improving the quality of social interaction in housing complexes for seniors. Two indicators for the quality of social interaction were defined: 1) social participation (do residents actively participate in social activities?); 2) social solidarity (do residents know each other and feel connected to each other?).</p><p> </p><p><em>Methods</em></p><p>An evaluation of this experiment was conducted through baseline and follow-up measurements using a questionnaire in combination with qualitative fieldwork. For the purposes of the baseline and follow-up measurements in this research, a standardized questionnaire was developed focusing on the main themes of the experiment. These quantitative measurements provide an overall insight into the quality of social interaction in the ten residential complexes, as well as insight into any changes in the social atmosphere during the experiment. The measurements also reveal the background to the qualitative aspect of the research, in which the researchers had a more intense contact with the residents involved to find out their perspectives on and experiences with the experiment. The combination of in-depth interviews and participant observations provided knowledge about the existing dynamics in the complexes and the extent to which the experiment was aligned with the activity setting. The qualitative study was carried out in four of the ten participating residential complexes and, in addition to participant observations and individual in-depth interviews, documents were analysed and group interviews were carried out.</p><p>The analysis of the quantitative material focused primarily on those respondents who participated in both the baseline measurement and the post-test. The qualitative material (interview transcripts, “thick descriptions”, reports of group interviews and informal conversations) was encoded and analysed using MaxQda12. The findings were discussed in the focus groups in which residents and professionals from all participating residential complexes took part (“member check”).</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><em>Conclusion</em></p><p>The research provides insight into the possibilities and limitations of the self-organizing capacity of residents of housing complexes for seniors. The baseline measurement showed that two-thirds of the residents participated in activities in their complex, but that only a few residents were motivated to participate in organizing and managing these activities. This was confirmed by the findings of the qualitative research. The main reasons for residents not becoming active as organizers was their lack of knowledge and organizational skills, thinking of themselves as too old, limitations caused by health problems, and lack of interest in organizing activities for others.<br /> Residents who were willing to actively engage in social activities in their residential complex appeared to depend on a facilitating professional to provide ideas, think about implementation and ensure continuity. The professional helped initiate the process, set goals, make plans and implement these, and motivate other residents. But even once activities were up and running, professional support remained necessary because plans often worked out differently in practice. Residents wanted to be able to exchange ideas with someone who could steer the process to some extent and lead them in the right direction. The assistance of professionals was also indispensable when dealing with the resistance or conflicts that inevitably occur during a process of change.</p><p>The research revealed that social vitalization requires motivated residents who want to act according to the pace and needs of other residents and who appreciate small successes. Strengthening the quality of social interaction also requires harmonization with the cultural context (“activity setting”) of the residential complex. Goals that do not fit the existing situation, or unrealistic plans that never get off the ground, are demotivating.<br /> Social vitalization in residential complexes for older adults is a gradual process of change that requires permanent support from active residents and professionals. The self-confidence of the active residents increases when their plans are a success, but this happens in small steps. Professional support is needed to start the vitalization process, to guide and make it sustainable.</p> Published on 2018-10-17 00:00:00https://www.journalsi.org/article/10.18352/jsi.561Editorialhttps://www.journalsi.org/article/10.18352/jsi.581 Published on 2018-10-16 00:00:00https://www.journalsi.org/article/10.18352/jsi.581To wear or not to wear(able)? Wearables in het gezondheidsdomeinhttps://www.journalsi.org/article/10.18352/jsi.582<p><strong>To wear or not to wear(able)? </strong><strong>Wearables in het gezondheidsdomein</strong><strong></strong></p><p>De huidige samenleving is onderhevig aan verandering. In de afgelopen twee decennia zijn onze levens langzaam overgenomen door technologie. Het overgrote deel van de wereldbevolking is niet meer te onderscheiden van zijn of haar relatie met technologie in het dagelijks leven. Toch brengen nieuwe innovaties onzekerheden met zich mee, want van tevoren weet men niet welk uitkomsten de innovatie zal opleveren. Zeker is dat wearables een enorme opmars gaan maken (Alam, Arbia &amp; Hamida, 2015). Wearable technologie heeft de potentie het sociaal werkveld drastisch te veranderen. De wearable, zoals een polsband, meet lichamelijke parameters, verzamelt data, herkent patronen en geeft interventies. Het gebruik van wearables is niet alleen een technologische verandering. Het is ook een verandering in denken over de hulpverlening zelf. Dit krijgt pas echt betekenis als je het bekijkt vanuit de opdracht van het sociaal werk om de eigen kracht van mensen te activeren en te versterken. Aannemelijk is dat het gebruik van een wearable in een hulpverleningstraject waarin genoemde elementen terugkomen, wilsbekwame cliënten uitdaagt om meer eigen regie te voeren over hun hulpverleningstraject en de hulpverlener in staat stelt het hulpverleningstraject gerichter te sturen. Dit artikel laat zien dat wearables de potentie hebben om een hulpverleningstraject doelmatiger te maken. Het artikel informeert over de toegevoegde waarde van het inzetten van wearables, het belang en de ontwikkelingen van wearables in de veranderende maatschappij, het omgaan met privacygevoelige gegevens en creëert bewustwording over de relatie tussen mens en technologie.</p><p> </p><p><strong>To wear or not to wear(able)? Wearables in mental healthcare </strong></p><p>Modern society is subject to rapid change. Over the past two decades, our lives have been transformed through technology. The vast majority of the world's population can no longer be separated from technology in his or her daily life. New innovations bring uncertainty: we cannot know in advance what consequences they will have. Certain is, however, that wearables will take a prominent position in the marketplace (Alam, Arbia &amp; Hamida, 2015). Wearable technology has the potential to change the fields of social work and healthcare. The wearable, such as a wristband, measures physical parameter, collects data, recognizes patterns and provides interventions. The use of wearables is not just a technological change, but it is also a change in how we consider our approach to healthcare. These changes only have value when we approach social work as a process of activating and reinforcing people's own strengths. It is colourable to expect that the use of a wearable in a treatment program as characterised above will challenge motivated patients to claim more direct control over their healthcare trajectory. This will allow aid workers to steer the trajectory in a more targeted way. This article aims to demonstrate that wearables have the potential to make healthcare trajectories more effective. The article informs the reader about the value of wearables, the importance of wearables in our changing society, and the handling of privacy-sensitive data. It also seeks to raise awareness about the relationship between people and technology.</p> Published on 2018-10-16 00:00:00https://www.journalsi.org/article/10.18352/jsi.582De grenzen van autonoom leven en stervenhttps://www.journalsi.org/article/10.18352/jsi.577<p>Paul van Tongeren. <strong>Willen sterven: Over de autonomie en het voltooide leven</strong>. Utrecht: Kok, 2018, € 11,99, 126 p. ISBN 978 90 435 2945 7</p> Published on 2018-09-15 00:00:00https://www.journalsi.org/article/10.18352/jsi.577